3.2: religion basics

major concepts

religious diffusion

• ethnic religion: less widespread diffusion, holy places generally derive from distinctive physical environments of their hearths
  • eg. Hinduism, mountains
• universalizing religion: often holy cities and other places associated with founder’s life, not directly related to the environment
  • eg. Christianity, Islam

belief systems

• monotheism: the doctrine or belief that there is only one God
• polytheism: the doctrine or belief that there are multiple gods
• non-theistic: the doctrine or belief that there is no God

major world religions

• Christianity — universalizing
  • hearth: Palestine (modern-day Israel)
  • monotheistic
  • symbol: cross/crucifix
  • diffusion: contagious (contact between believers and non-believers; intermarriage)
• Judaism — ethnic
  • hearth: Israel
  • monotheistic
  • symbol: star of David (six-pointed tar)
• Islam — universalizing
  • hearth: Mecca, Medina
  • monotheistic
  • symbol: crescent and star
• Hinduism — ethnic
  • hearth: Indus River Valley
  • polytheistic
  • symbol: om
• Buddhism — universalizing
  • hearth: south Asia
  • non-theistic
  • symbol: dharma wheel

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